Due to this eccentric yet endearing paranoia among men they inevitably emit signs and symptoms that indicate they’re bound to ask a woman out.

1. Asks if you’re seeing anyone

Guys are very territorial beings. Like Christopher Columbus, they want to explore new, unadulterated terrain as much as possible.

Before a guy pursues a woman it is very important for him to know that he has no competition to his mission.

Before his game plan, it is important for him to know that he’s not plowing the dating field with another man or that he’s stepping on another man’s territory as much as possible.

Since men play to win, they need to be reassured of their winning chances before they even start playing the game.

This is a way for him to gauge what kind of woman he’s going to deal with. If he finds out that you’re entertaining enough guys to make up a football team chances are he’ll back off.

2. Gets feedback about you

The presence of competition and the winning stats are not the only pertinent information that a guy needs before he asks you out. He also checks on your background information to see what kind of person you are. He does this to set his own expectations about your date.

Are you the type who’d sleep with a guy within 15 minutes of the first date? Or are you the rigid, ex nun type who lives in a convent and has connections to the Italian maffia?

He does this so he can see how he can act and how he should be treating you.

Also he needs specific data about how you treat the people around you and how they perceive you. He needs to know that you’re nice and approachable.

The guy knows that if you can treat the people around you in a good way then he wouldn’t have to worry about his fragile ego being turned down or insulted when he asks you out.

3. Researches for your schedule

A guy wants to do detective work to get a hold of your schedule secretly and in advance. This allows him to see if you’re really telling the truth about your 6 pm belly dancing lessons or if you’re just making excuses to turn him down.

Also, guys want to hit the nail right on its head when they ask you out.

As much as possible, they want to lessen the asking out part by giving out a one liner, direct question, such as “I have two tickets to a live band concert at the corner of Madison Avenue at 9 pm tonight, do you want to come?”

What guys want to avoid is this: “Hey! What time will you be free this Friday?”, then she responds, “Well, I have work from 7 to 4, then an appointment with my stylist at 5 pm…and I’m meeting my roommate for coffee at 6:30 and have dinner with my cousins at 8, and… wait… let me check… Oh! And I have a movie marathon with my girl friends from college”- The next thing he knows he’s being rejected 5 times with just one question, while excruciatingly standing there for 3 minutes, mortified as he waits while you check your planner.

Guys want to get your schedule ahead so they’d know the exact time to mention when they ask you out. And a useful tip: They want to hear just one, clear, direct, short answer from you- Yes!

4. Asks for your phone number

A guy who’s asking you out will get your phone number first. He does this to warm things up first. Most guys chose to talk on the phone a few times before they ask the girl out.

This keeps her guard down and allows the process to flow naturally. He wants to know first if you like him enough to give him your phone number.

5. Mentions upcoming movies

If a guy mentions upcoming movies it is his subtle method of veering the conversation to a date. Guys want to see if you’d take the bait.

They want to see your reaction if he subtly puts them out there. Mentioning movies allows him to express the idea of you watching the flick with him, without making him feel vulnerable.

He’s secretly wishing that you’d be the one who’d come up with the idea.

6. Asks what kind of food you like

A man wants to impress the woman he pursues. Therefore, he wouldn’t want to go wrong with things that can appeal to her. He will ask for the kinds of food she likes to get a good idea on his budget and which restaurant he’ll take her.

Does she like Japanese? What about a Mexican flavor? Does she like spicy food? Curry, perhaps? He needs to know these things to inculcate them into his one-liner, Asking-You-Out question.

He doesn’t want to feel like he’s begging when he asks. A good example for an awkward desperate begging conversation would go something like:

“Do you like Mongolian barbeque?”, “No, I don’t eat meat. I’m a vegetarian”. “Okay, what about a cheesy plate of tomato pasta then?”, “I’m also lactose intolerant.”

Then for the ultimate ego take down, “So what about dessert? Do you like sweet chocolate éclairs?” She says, “I’m also a diabetic.”

7. When he gets a new shirt

Before a man asks you out he’ll make sure that you’ll notice him first and at least know his name.

Besides, it will be very awkward when he asks you out and you say “I’m sorry but do I know you?”

The guy wants to look like a superstar in your eyes to gain more points before the touchdown so he’ll go out of his way to clean up good.

If you work together, you’ll start to notice that he’s wearing musk-scented cologne, he will shave his beard, he’ll wear new shirts to work and he’ll even style his hair with a nice-smelling gel.

If he used to look like a homeless person before he met you, this time he’ll definitely pay more attention to how he looks when he’s around you.

8. Mr. Personality

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul.

That soul will surely keep an eye at you whenever he sees you. A man’s piercing eye contact is the best way to know if he’s interested in you.

Another is his facial glow each time he takes a sight of you. You can tell the change in his demeanor.

If he used to act like a prisoner on hunger-strike in the past, before he’ll ask you out he’ll try to be more outgoing around you to appear cool and casual.

He’ll be more conscious with himself whenever you’re within the vicinity. He will even crack a few, random jokes to gauge if it’s going to be a fun date before he asks you out.